What Men Want To Wear

[Lucy Locket]

Help!! I need to source clothing for men for my dancewear business & I don't know what you want!!!:blush:

Men: Given a choice what would you men like to wear for dancing in?

Ladies: What would you like to see your dance partner wearing? Keep it clean!!:whistle:

[Rhythm King]

Erm, black?

[WittyBird]

Erm, black?
:yeah: but in a good material that fits well and doesn't help them sweat buckets :nice:

[El Salsero Gringo]

Help!! I need to source clothing for men for my dancewear business & I don't know what you want!!!:blush:

Men: Given a choice what would you men like to wear for dancing in?

Ladies: What would you like to see your dance partner wearing? Keep it clean!!:whistle:Affordable, washable, skin-tight light-weight black T-shirts with lycra that can be washed dozens of time and don't pill or lose their shape or dye. Target-to-beat is £12 for an M&S vest-type top. 50 or-so wear/wash cycles and still going strong.

Black trousers ditto.

[Lucy Locket]

Erm, black?

Someone had to say it didn't they!!!!!!!!

But black what?????????????????????????????????:whistle: :whistle:

[Rhythm King]

Someone had to say it didn't they!!!!!!!!

But black what?????????????????????????????????:whistle: :whistle:

Sorry I had to get it in first :blush:

Trousers - something with a bit of lycra, but not necessarily skin tight. Machine washable and if poss, tumble dry-able without shrinking, or losing shape. They need pockets - including hip pockets - we don't do hand bags for our wallets and stuff.

Shirts, well I either go with polo shirts, or I have an increasing collection of American lounge or bowling style shirts. They are loose fitting, cotton and usually have some designs, or faux advertising embroidered on them. I have a lot of shirts from weekenders, but would buy dance-themed shirts, so long as they weren't camp.

I tend to find long sleeve shirts too hot, but will go the whole baggy trousers shirt and waistcoat on certain occasions.

If I had the physique, I'd look into some of the less outrageous stuff that Latin dancers wear. Unfortunately I don't :sad: .

Better answer?

R-K :flower:

[Rhythm King]

Ooh and urban combats in funky colours but BIG sizes :whistle:

[Lucy Locket]

RK you always look cool :wink:

[DavidY]

:yeah: to what's above.

I'm also a fan of "wickable" fabrics. The wickable tops I have aren't the height of fashion (they're basically walking tops), but I can wear them for ages without getting sweaty.

[Paul F]

Help!! I need to source clothing for men for my dancewear business & I don't know what you want!!!:blush:

Men: Given a choice what would you men like to wear for dancing in?


What kind of dancer are you looking to target LL? Competition, social or both?
Would you be offering a tailoring service?

I would love to see an outlet with a large mens section. Currently, unless you are looking for ballet apparel its a bit of a wasteland.

[El Salsero Gringo]

What kind of dancer are you looking to target LL? Competition, social or both?
Would you be offering a tailoring service?

I would love to see an outlet with a large mens section. Currently, unless you are looking for ballet apparel its a bit of a wasteland.This season each year reminds me that by next year I should find a Dinner Jacket with enough room in the arms to allow me to dance while wearing it. And this year I made a promise to attend the Ashtons Black Tie Ball 2006 in a tail-coat, with top hat and cane (OK, not hat and cane - but anyway...) so where do I find those that I can dance in?

[David Bailey]

Affordable, washable, skin-tight light-weight black T-shirts with lycra that can be washed dozens of time and don't pill or lose their shape or dye. Target-to-beat is £12 for an M&S vest-type top. 50 or-so wear/wash cycles and still going strong.

Black trousers ditto.
:yeah: I'd expand "T-shirts" to "tops", though, it's occasionally nice to have a bit of variety.

Oh, and waistcoats of course. :)

[Tessalicious]

...this year I made a promise to attend the Ashtons Black Tie Ball 2006 in a tail-coat, with top hat and cane (OK, not hat and cane - but anyway...)No, I think you'll find I distinctly remember you promising the top-hat and cane too - and we'll hold you to it, won't we girls?

[El Salsero Gringo]

No, I think you'll find I distinctly remember you promising the top- hat and cane too - and we'll hold you to it, won't we girls?I'm sure that under the right circumstances I could find you distinctly remembering a whole lot of things. Gulp.

[jivecat]

Affordable, washable, skin-tight light-weight black T-shirts with lycra that can be washed dozens of time and don't pill or lose their shape or dye. Target-to-beat is £12 for an M&S vest-type top. 50 or-so wear/wash cycles and still going strong.

Black trousers ditto.

Yeah, this sounds good, but not the vest style. Sleeves look a bit more subtle even for those who do happen to have gym-honed delts. (Probably no more than 1 in 100. This by no means a comment on ESG's delts as I have never knowingly seen them, I'm sure they are lovely.) I think v-necks look better than polo shirts or round necks. Younger blokes look good in those really baggy jeans with pockets and stitching all over, though this is probably a look you have to be careful with. I also like t-shirts with interesting prints/patterns/writing on, but the most important thing is that they should fit well. A nicely pressed tailored shirt with a well-fitting pair of jeans is always a good look, especially for the more mature chap, but not tucked in, no matter how ancient he is! A brilliant white t-shirt over jeans is good too, especially on a young bloke with a 6-pack.

No nos, for me, include:

Shorts
Sandals
Stuff that doesn't match
Dated-looking clothes
Ancient, raggy looking stuff
Clothes that look too formal, very aging on a man
Shirts with flames around the hem
Braces
Baggy, faded t-shirts with a logo for something naff on the front
Limp polo shirts
Loud trousers

I can think of one or two forumites that might feature on my best-dressed list but I couldn't possibly divulge who they are!

Please note that I wouldn't wish to be clothesist. I've danced with people who have been wearing a combination of clothes ticking at least 5 of the above, and survived. Good excuse to have a bluesy dance, then there's less opportunity to notice the novelty cartoon socks they're wearing with their black and whites.

Hope you do well, Lucia. Any chance of setting up a Trinny & Susannah style service for dancing chaps as well? Given ESG's simple, cheap, basic recommendations above there's no excuse for a bloke not to look good, IMO.

[DavidY]

This season each year reminds me that by next year I should find a Dinner Jacket with enough room in the arms to allow me to dance while wearing it.:yeah: :yeah: :yeah: Some DJs aren't designed to allow us to lift our arms up (which restricts choice of moves rather severely).

[robd]

......skin-tight light-weight black T-shirts .....

:eek:

At the rate I am eating a tent will soon be skin-tight on my belly.

[philsmove]

Plain 100% cotton, casual shirts
White; Black; navy blue; and maroon
Long and short sleeved
No patterns please
Unless you can match the shirt worn by Rubén González in the Buena Vista social club DVD

Shokey style pants by criminal damage

[Tiggerbabe]

so where do I find those that I can dance in?
Well, you've got a good 11 months to get it made especially :wink: Top Hat and a cane too - :drool:
(and I've got a red top hat you can borrow if you get the suit to match :D )

[TheTramp]

Younger blokes look good in those really baggy jeans with pockets and stitching all over, though this is probably a look you have to be careful with.
Younger blokes??? :tears: :tears:

[El Salsero Gringo]

Well, you've got a good 11 months to get it made especially :wink: Top Hat and a cane too - :drool:
(and I've got a red top hat you can borrow if you get the suit to match :D )Well, I was intending to wear it to a Ceroc dance, not appear on Morecambe and Wise - but since you offer...

[Clive Long]

I would love to wear white cotton shirts with collars to dance in but as I have a skin-leakage problem (c. Icey) the only practical solution is the M&S black vests that ESG posted about in the past and in this thread. I have bought about 6 and basically only wear those - it isn't a black thing - they can dry quickly if I stand next to one of the Ashtons wind-tunnel fans - love 'em.

I can't wear coloured cotton T-shirts because I get very visible "water-leakage" pattern on them after two dances.

Also I bought a couple of pairs of trousers, again from M&S (ghastly place, but good for these items) with Lycra as RK has written. They are comfortable, easy to move in, even with my peculiar dance moves, and still look slightly "tailored" - I'm too old-looking to wear trousers with their crutch around my knees.

Oh, and I destroyed two "Peter Storm wicking T-Shirts" by putting them in a tumble drier. They now have crazy-paving perma-crease. Senseless act really, as in the past they washed up in 30C and air dried in an hour. Twit.


Clive

[Icey]

... a skin-leakage problem (c. Icey)

I had forgotten that phrase, thanks for reminding me :rofl:

[Tiggerbabe]

Well, I was intending to wear it to a Ceroc dance, not appear on Morecambe and Wise - but since you offer...
Well, I thought that DG looked great in his bright red suit on the Christmas SCD :na:

[El Salsero Gringo]

They are comfortable, easy to move in, even with my peculiar dance moves .... I'm too old-looking to wear trousers with their crutch around my knees.What kind of women do you "dance" with, these days, Clive?? And what *are* those strange dance moves that leave your trousers thus?

[Clive Long]

Yeah, this sounds good, but not the vest style.
As ESG posted before, but not in this thread, these "tops" are in the "vest" section of M&S - but they are really T-Shirts


<< snip >>
A nicely pressed tailored shirt with a well-fitting pair of jeans is always a good look, especially for the more mature chap, but not tucked in, no matter how ancient he is!

I know the debate about "to tuck or not to tuck" is long gone - and I didn't participate as I was in Forum purdah, but shirt-outside screams "football hooligan" or "fat man trying to hide it" to me. I know I am not with the majority on this one. I tuck and am proud.


<< snip>>
Hope you do well, Lucia. Any chance of setting up a Trinny & Susannah style service for dancing chaps as well? Given ESG's simple, cheap, basic recommendations above there's no excuse for a bloke not to look good, IMO.
Genetic loathing of shopping? No one objective to help him choose?

The list is long.

Weginald.

[thewacko]

Help!! I need to source clothing for men for my dancewear business & I don't know what you want!!!:blush:

Men: Given a choice what would you men like to wear for dancing in?

Ladies: What would you like to see your dance partner wearing? Keep it clean!!:whistle:
Let me give you a model to start with (ps no tight lycra please)

[Andy McGregor]

My own opinion is that most guys who dance wouldn't be seen dead in clothes that are made for dancing in - bit too poofy!!!

Recently I recommended Passport Menswear to Felix Dancewear. I buy loads of clothes from Passport who are situated in Kemptown in Brighton - this area is known locally as Camptown! Passport do fabulous clothes in silver, glitter, sequinned, etc, etc. Felix have taken a quantity of clothes from Passport to sell at Camber and Bognor - I hear they sold some of the figure-hugging black T-Shirts.

[tomboh]

On trousers:


They need pockets - including hip pockets - we don't do hand bags for our wallets and stuff.

I wear my usual clothes when I dance and they seem mostly fine.

At a Leans, Dips and Seducers workshop in the summer, the teacher mentioned that men should remove keys, wallets, etc. from their pockets for these moves. I don't use these moves often, but I still try to keep my pockets empty.

I have one pair of trousers with knee pockets, but they often flap around too much if I use them. They might cause problems with some moves that I don't know, anyway.

Maybe I would like trousers with pockets in places that won't interfere with my dancing, but maybe they would look ridiculous..

[DangerousCurves]

I made a promise to attend the Ashtons Black Tie Ball 2006 in a tail-coat, with top hat and cane (OK, not hat and cane - but anyway...) so where do I find those that I can dance in?


I have a black gentlemans tail coat and a black top hat already in my wardrobe...

I used to be a girl guide. Our motto was "Be prepared" :wink:

[jivecat]

I can't wear coloured cotton T-shirts because I get very visible "water-leakage" pattern on them after two dances.
I've had this problem as well with ladies' clothes. It's particularly bad with reds or other light but strong colours. Less noticeable with black or white, and doesn't seem to happen with polyester or poly-cotton blends.


- I'm too old-looking to wear trousers with their crutch around my knees.Everyone over the age of 14 is too old. And why the hell would you want to wear them, anyway? Men should take the opportunity to display their glutes to the interested eyes of women everywhere.

[LMC]

Men should take the opportunity to display their glutes to the interested eyes of women everywhere.
Only some men :what:

Lucy, I think you might be able to find a nice little niche in larger sizes - for both men and women. I'm not obese, but as has already been commented, most ballet shops only sell stuff for skinny people :mad:

I must admit that I like to see a man in a shirt - there's something very sexy about an open collar and rolled up sleeves :drool:

[Lynn]

I must admit that I like to see a man in a shirt - there's something very sexy about an open collar and rolled up sleeves :drool:Esp if its white...:drool:

[Cruella]

I must admit that I like to see a man in a shirt - there's something very sexy about an open collar and rolled up sleeves :drool:
Especially a white one.:drool:
I think all the men should be made to wear white shirts instead of the boring black tshirt!!

Oh Lynn you beat me to it! Great minds think alike.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Especially a white one.:drool:
I think all the men should be made to wear white shirts instead of the boring black tshirt!!Sure. If you do all the laundry and ironing they need in order to look good.

[Cruella]

Sure. If you do all the laundry and ironing they need in order to look good.
Do you know something, that might just be worth it!!!
Sorry Riaz but i'm going to reveal your secret.:D
Riaz wears a white t/shirt under his white shirt and it seems to stop the sweat coming through. :clap: Mind you i do take the p**s asking him if he's wearing his vest.:whistle:

[El Salsero Gringo]

Do you know something, that might just be worth it!!!
Sorry Riaz but i'm going to reveal your secret.:D
Riaz wears a white t/shirt under his white shirt and it seems to stop the sweat coming through. :clap: Mind you i do take the p**s asking him if he's wearing his vest.:whistle:I think that would just make me hotter and so perspire more.

Where did you say I should send my laundry to?

[Donna]

Esp if its white...:drool:

ooeerr yes! :drool:

[under par]

Do you know something, that might just be worth it!!!
Sorry Riaz but i'm going to reveal your secret.:D
Riaz wears a white t/shirt under his white shirt and it seems to stop the sweat coming through. :clap: Mind you i do take the p**s asking him if he's wearing his vest.:whistle:

Well you will have to start to take the p**s out of me as I find the wearing of a cotton shirt under my various silk shirts make the silk shirts last for many more dances.

I might feel aggrieved at you taking the p**s out of me though :angry: as the silk shirts are mainly for your benefit. I know how you like the feel of some of them. :drool:

[jivecat]

Sorry Riaz but i'm going to reveal your secret.:D
Riaz wears a white t/shirt under his white shirt and it seems to stop the sweat coming through. :clap: Mind you i do take the p**s asking him if he's wearing his vest.:whistle:

Funny that, my mind just isn't on the subject of vests when I'm dancing with Riaz!

[Cruella]

Funny that, my mind just isn't on the subject of vests when I'm dancing with Riaz!
But i didn't reveal how i know about his vest.:innocent:

[Rhythm King]

I confess - I too wear vests under proper shirts. Mostly the moisture-wicking, lycra M&S sports variety, in black, or white. You are a little warmer, but the shirt lasts much longer. If it's a casual, or short sleeve shirt then I leave it untucked, which allows air to circulate and keeps you cooler. If you go to hot/humid climates, virtually everyone wears undershirts for this reason.

[David Bailey]

At a Leans, Dips and Seducers workshop in the summer, the teacher mentioned that men should remove keys, wallets, etc. from their pockets for these moves. I don't use these moves often, but I still try to keep my pockets empty.
Good tip - I used to load my pockets down, but I'm now a semi-reformed character. :whistle:

Another couple of tips along those lines, if you have to have something in your pockets:
- always keep the right front pocket empty, that's the one that the women will have most contact with after all
- wrap anything hard (e.g coins, get your mind out of the gutter please) in a hanky if possible.


Riaz wears a white t/shirt under his white shirt and it seems to stop the sweat coming through. :clap: Mind you i do take the p**s asking him if he's wearing his vest.:whistle:
Vests / T-shirts worn under shirts is quite common in salsa - I think I read about it first in Edie salsafreak's website a few years ago. The theory is that all the sweat sticks to the inner layer, so your partner only has to touch the cool and pleasant outer layer. Or something like that...

[Barry Shnikov]

Whatever isn't too crumpled and still smells slightly of washing powder...

[frodo]

Help!! I need to source clothing for men for my dancewear business & I don't know what you want!!!:blush:

Men: Given a choice what would you men like to wear for dancing in?

Ladies: What would you like to see your dance partner wearing? Keep it clean!!:whistle:

Dark coloured (all over-may or may not be patterned) - high wicking T-shirts (Coolmax etc) would be good ( don't have to be jet black ).
The ones you get in outdoor stores seems to be pretty much all two solid tones.

And even better high wicking collared T-shirts which are both dark (again all over) and look reasonably smart/stylish. Again these are available but not sufficiently dark coloured.

[Paul F]

Many moons ago I tried out a couple of the high-wicking t-shirts from an outdoor store for dancing. They cost a fortune but I thought, why not.
After chatting with the girl in the store some time later I realised that the way these t-shirts work is by accelerating, and dispersing, the moisture away from your body, through the fabric to the outside where it can be evaporated efficiently.
This is great for outdoor pursuits and the like but surely this abundance of sweat on the outside of the t-shirt would be just as bad, if not worse, for the lady?

They did do what it said on the tin though. They dry fast :clap: Unfortunately they dont after you have ironed them on a high setting :tears: :tears:

[jammy]

i just wanted 2 add 2 that 2 every time i go 2 get trousers i can never see any in my size smaller than a 24 waist every time i go 2 look its always 24 is the smallest they have in the ones i like.
baggy trousers i like them not 2 fussed on tops just the trousers
but if i was 2 buy a t-shirt i would have 2 had a funny phrase about dancein or summit. jx

[philsmove]

Many moons ago I tried out a couple of the high-wicking t-shirts :

High wicking outdoor thermal vests are designed to worn under a fleece

I tried mine dancing and got too hot

As stated they will wick sweat away, not stop it forming

My own preference is for 100% cotton shits (BLACK) and change them if it’s a hot night

[timbp]

My own preference is for 100% cotton shits (BLACK)
So what do you eat to produce these? And how do you control the colour?

[robd]

I have a few linen shirts and trousers that I wear for freestyles and I stay fairly cool (in a temperature sense) in those - pain to iron though.

For class nights it tends to be white/black cotton tees from Tesco - £1.75 a time.

I can't remember the last time I felt the need to change a shirt when dancing.

[Sheppy]

Comfortable stylish clothes that are easy to care for, stand repeated washing, don't get creased when stuck in your bag and above all stop the wearer from getting too hot.

[Trousers]

Yeah, this sounds good, but not the vest style. Sleeves look a bit more subtle even for those who do happen to have gym-honed delts. (Probably no more than 1 in 100. This by no means a comment on ESG's delts as I have never knowingly seen them, I'm sure they are lovely.) I think v-necks look better than polo shirts or round necks. Younger blokes look good in those really baggy jeans with pockets and stitching all over, though this is probably a look you have to be careful with. I also like t-shirts with interesting prints/patterns/writing on, but the most important thing is that they should fit well. A nicely pressed tailored shirt with a well-fitting pair of jeans is always a good look, especially for the more mature chap, but not tucked in, no matter how ancient he is! A brilliant white t-shirt over jeans is good too, especially on a young bloke with a 6-pack.

No nos, for me, include:

Shorts
Sandals
Stuff that doesn't match
Dated-looking clothes
Ancient, raggy looking stuff
Clothes that look too formal, very aging on a man
Shirts with flames around the hem
Braces
Baggy, faded t-shirts with a logo for something naff on the front
Limp polo shirts


Loud trousers



I can think of one or two forumites that might feature on my best-dressed list but I couldn't possibly divulge who they are!

Please note that I wouldn't wish to be clothesist. I've danced with people who have been wearing a combination of clothes ticking at least 5 of the above, and survived. Good excuse to have a bluesy dance, then there's less opportunity to notice the novelty cartoon socks they're wearing with their black and whites.

Hope you do well, Lucia. Any chance of setting up a Trinny & Susannah style service for dancing chaps as well? Given ESG's simple, cheap, basic recommendations above there's no excuse for a bloke not to look good, IMO.


EXCUSE ME!!!!!!

and i liked dancing with you :(

Hey Ho

[jammy]

i just wanted 2 add 2 that 2 every time i go 2 get trousers i can never see any in my size smaller than a 24 waist every time i go 2 look its always 24 is the smallest they have in the ones i like.
baggy trousers i like them not 2 fussed on tops just the trousers
but if i was 2 buy a t-shirt i would have 2 had a funny phrase about dancein or summit. jx
just noticed i kept sayin 24 waist in stead of 34 woops u probily thought i was a really skinny lad then

[David Franklin]

just noticed i kept sayin 24 waist in stead of 34 woops u probily thought i was a really skinny lad thenMight have been the general over use of '2' in your post! (Does it really take so much longer to type 'to', or 'you', for that matter?)

I don't generally have a problem finding trousers at 30" myself - though M&S do seem to assume all their customers are, um, circumferentially challenged. Worse is that many makes assume 30" waist means you have legs like matchsticks - bad generally, but pretty catastrophic for dancing.

P.S. Actually, I didn't think you were a really skinny lad - I thought with a 24" waist you must be a girl! :devil:

[Paul F]

just noticed i kept sayin 24 waist in stead of 34 woops u probily thought i was a really skinny lad then

Thought we might have to drag you down to the T-Jive and force feed you some cake for a minute :)

[jammy]

Might have been the general over use of '2' in your post! (Does it really take so much longer to type 'to', or 'you', for that matter?)
well its just cauz i am so used 2 talkin in txt speak im sorry but i must just like the number 2.
Thought we might have to drag you down to the T-Jive and force feed you some cake for a minute
that still sound like a good idea i love cakes would never turn down a offer of havein cakes. :drool:
jammy

[Barry Shnikov]

i just wanted 2 add 2 that 2 every time i go 2 get trousers i can never see any in my size smaller than a 24 waist every time i go 2 look its always 24 is the smallest they have in the ones i like.
baggy trousers i like them not 2 fussed on tops just the trousers
but if i was 2 buy a t-shirt i would have 2 had a funny phrase about dancein or summit. jx

Sorry, won't read messages posted by people who think SMS text abbreviations count as 'cool'.

No offence, but there ya go.:nice:

[El Salsero Gringo]

Sorry, won't read messages posted by people who think SMS text abbreviations count as 'cool'.

No offence, but there ya go.:nice:yr loss m8!

[jammy]

Sorry, won't read messages posted by people who think SMS text abbreviations count as 'cool'.

No offence, but there ya go.:nice:
well im sorry but i just to let u know im not doing it to be kool but i do it cauz its easier for me to talk this way
1 because im used to it
2 because im not the best of spellers and it helps me
3 i am 19

so im sorry if this offends you but it hurts my feelin when people complane about me typin like this but im sorry if im dislexic and this helps me so much to do it this way and im not doing it to be cool
i also want 2 add i try my best not to text talk but it is very hard

yr loss m8!

[thewacko]

Whatever isn't too crumpled and still smells slightly of washing powder...
:innocent: or is still on the bedroom floor waiting to be put away (saves having to put it away):blush:

[Barry Shnikov]

yr loss m8!

You think...?